Illuminated mirror device



July 18, 1950 P. E. BISCH ET AL ILLUMINATED MIRROR DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 12, 1946 INVENTO RS My [O 5- July 18, 1950 P. E. BISCH ET AL ILLUMINATED MIRROR DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 Filed Nov. 12, 1946 INVENTORS Patented July 18, 1950 ILLUMINATED MIRROR DEVICE Paul Eugene .Bisch, John P. Dobbins, and George G. Edlen, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application November 12, 1946, Serial No. 709,130

(01. a to-6.45)

11 Claims.

This invention relates to the provision of illumination in connection with a small mirror device, such as a vanity case, small hand mirror, ladys handbag, bag mirror or compact, or an automobile mirror. The general object of our invention is to provide a means for illuminating the face of "a person looking into such a mirror, suiiiciently to permit a clear imageof the face to be viewed in the mirror.

A-.-pa-rticular object-of the invention is to provide a small mirror device, such as a vanity case, having self-contained illuminating means, which includes means, such as small flashlighttype batteries or dry cel-ls, for energizing one or'more ,small electric light bulbs. We have found that the problem of-utilizing such a source of current in connection with a small lightbulb or bulbs, to produce adequate illumination, is a :diflicult one. A number oftrial proposals directed toward-this general end have-not proven to be satisfactory. The employment of an arrangement intended to throwthe direct rays of light from..alight. source upon the face of a person has the objectionable characteristic of casting a glare .into the persons eyes, which makes it diiiicult to seethe reflection in the mirror. Early attempts to utilize aconcealed source of light, transmitting light rays through a transmitting elementof amaterial-having the light-refracting characteristics of .polymethyl methacrylate, embodiedthe objection that the light rays were relatively Weak and alsoproducedsome glare, which, though not as marked as that produced by direct illumination, was, nevertheless, .sufficient to obscure the fairlylow intensity image produced in the mirror.

our invention has solved these problems by utilizing an arrangement of a light-transmitting element or elements of a material having substantially the light refracting characteristics of the acrylic resins, such as .polymethyl methacr'ylate, receiving light from one or more light sources arranged to be remote from the face of the person looking into the mirror while holding 'a vanity case in a natural position, together Witha -mirror adapted. to lie in a plane transverse to the plane of the light-emitting device. In-avanity case, this arrangement is achieved by placing-the light-emitting device in the body portion of the vanity case and the mirror in thecove'r thereof. The natural position of the vanity case during use is that in which the body of the case is held horizontally and the cover projects upwardly. The light rays for illuminating-the facemay thus be projected upwardly and toward the face on an incline, while the eyes of the person are directed at a higher level, into-the mirror which extends above the upper line of the light rays. Thus,' it becomes possible for the illuminated reflection of the face to be viewed in the mirror without any glare. in the eyes.

-A further object of the invention isto provide acompact or vanity case embodying a selfcontained illuminatingmechanism which is fully concealed exceptwfor the light-emitting surface of the light-transmitting ring, and in which this light-emitting surface constitutes a pleasing and ornamental portion of the visible part of the vanity case.

Another object is to provide for automatic energization of the illuminating means upon opening the lid of the vanity case and cutting 01? the illuminating means when the lid is closed.

.-A.further object is to provide a vanity case, orthe like, having an illuminating mechanism ofrelatively simple and inexpensive construction embodied therein.

Other objectsof our invention will become apparent in the ensuing specifications, taken in connection with the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a vanity case embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 isa'sectional view of onaline 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 31s a sectional view of the same, taken on aline 32-i of. Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View of the same,taken on the,1ine-44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 -is a plan View of a vanity case embodying a, modified form. of our invention;

Fig. 6 isasectionalv view of the vanity ca'se shown-in Fig 5, taken on the line 6-6 of that figure; and

Fig. 7 is .a plan viewof a compact embodying another .modification of the invention.

vAs anexample of one form in which our inthe same, taken 'venti'on may be embodied, We have shown in Figs. .1-.to .4 inclusive ,a vanity case embodying a body-casing. section 7 and a lid 8 hinged thereto by means of a hingeB. This vanity case has the generalshape of a horseshoe, the side defined by the hinge 9 being a straight side. Al'soyattached to thehinge Sis a plate In which provides a cover for a pair of dry cells. The cover II] has a side extremity l2,'parallel .to the hinge 9, which overlaps one side of an annular flange 13hr a powder tray I4, which occupies the. space between the cover Ill and the extremity of the case body 'I opposite the hinge 9. The flange I3 lies in a plane immediately below the plane of the cover I0, and just slightly below the plane of the upper edge of the lateral wall I5 of the case body I. Formed in the flange I3 is a trough I6 which is horseshoe-shaped and extends alongside the lateral wall I5 from one end of the cover II) and back to the other end thereof. The upper surface of the trough I 6 is provided with a reflecting surface which extends from the points a to the points b in Fig. 1 (or if desired a reflecting surface may extend throughout the length of the trough I 6, although this is not essential) Mounted in the trough I6 is a horseshoe-shaped light-transmitting element II, the ends of which are extended beneath the cover I0. Two small flashlight bulbs I 8 are mounted, one at either end of the cover I 0. The bulbs I 8 are associated with the respective ends of the light-transmitting element I'I. As shown in Fig. 4, the lens of each bulb I3 may be in actual contact with a cavity I9 in the end of the light-transmitting element. The light-transmitting element IT has an etched upper surface 20 which is inclined downwardly and. inwardly, being generally frustro-conical.

A mirror 2! is mounted in the lid 8 by means of a mirror frame 22 which is pressed into the lid 8. A majority of the peripheral edge of the mirror 2I is confined between the frame 22 and the peripheral portion of the lid 8. In the form shown in the drawings, the mirror 2I is circular, although it is to be understood that .other shapes may be employed 7 Being of polymethyl methacrylate or material having equivalent light-refracting properties, the transmitting element II is adapted to transmit the rays of light from the bulbs I8 throughout its curved extent. The back surface of the transmitting element I1 is highly polished and preferably continuously curved in cross-section, so as to prevent the' escape of light rays from the transmittin element, except through the etched surface 20. Because of the high index of refraction of v the material of the transmitting element I1, light rays transmitted into one end thereof will, as they strike the polished surfaces thereof, be refiected back into the interior of the transmitting element until they strike the etched surface 20. This characteristic arises from the fact that light rays, in escaping from a body having a high index of refraction into a medium having a low index of refraction (such as air) will be bent toward the surface from which they are escaping. At exactly 90 degrees, the rays will of course be emitted without bending. As the rays strike the surface at more and more oblique angles, they will be bent to a succeedingly higher degree until finally the bending brings them parallel with the surface and beyond that point they will be reflected back into the transmitting element. As a result, it is possible for the rays to be reflected back and forth from one side to the other of the transmitting element, while proceeding obliquely from one end to the other thereof, and thus the transmission of the rays in this manner may be described as piping. Since an etched surface is composed of a large number of minute surfaces inclined in many different directions, a large percentage of the light rays striking the etched surface will escape because of striking many of the minute surfaces at angles approaching right angles. From the etched surface 20, the light rays will be dispersed somewhat as indicated by the broken lines 23 in Fig. 6. We find that the majority of the light rays transmitted from the etched surface 20 will be inclined away from the light sources I8. Also, the greatest intensity of light ray emission is concentrated in the arms of the transmitting element I'I, adjacent the light sources, 1. e., just beyond the edge I2 of the cover III. This is indicated by the closer spacing of the lines 23 in Fig. 6.

It will now be apparent, from Fig. 6, that with the vanity case held in a normal position in front of and slightly below the face 24 of a person using the same, with the body portion I substantially horizontal and the mirror 2I substantially vertical, that the rays 23 will strike the face 34 at an angle sufiiciently divergent from the angle at which the line of sight 35 is directed to the mirror 2|, to eliminate glare in the eyes of the person using thevanity case.

At the same time, the emitted rays 23 will strike the face at such an angle as to adequately illuminate those portions of the face to which cosmetics are ordinarily applied.

The dry cells II are confined endwise between a bracket 24 which is electrically grounded to the case I asindicated at 25 in Fig. 1 and a bracket 26 which is mounted on an insulating block 21. The bulbs I8 are each mounted in a bracket 31 which may form an electrical ground connection to the case I, and their end terminals are in contact with a bus-bar 28, suitably insulated from the case I. The bus-bar 28 is indicated schematically in Fig. l, and is connected by a suitable connector 29 to a movable contact 30 of a switch 30, 32, which is shown in Fig. 3. The switch may be of any conventional construction, including, for example, a movable contact 3!] and a stem 3| of insulating material mounted in a bushing 32 which is secured to the underside of the bracket 25, and constitutes the fixed contact of the switch. The stem 3I projects upwardly through an opening in the cover III, to a position where it will be engaged by the mirror frame 22 as the lid 8 is closed, and be depressed so as to move the contact 30 out of engagement with the bushing 32, thereby breaking contact in the switch 30, 32. Conversely, when the'lid 8 is raised, the stem 3| will be freed for upward movement under the yielding pressure of a spring 33, thrusting upwardly against the contact 30.

It may now be noted that the dry cells II are confined within a space defined between the powder tray I4 and the straight portion of the peripheral wall I5 of the case body I at the hinge 9, and between the brackets 24 and 26. Dry cells may be quickly replaced by lifting the cover I0, lifting the used cells out of this space and inserting fresh cells. The brackets 24 and 26 are so spaced as to snugly engage the respective ends of the dry cells and establish electrical contact therewith.

When the lid of the compact is opened, the lights will automatically be turned on, and when the lid is closed, the lights will be automatically turned off by the actuation of the switch 30, 32 in the manner previously described.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the shape of the Vanity case is circular instead of horseshoe-shaped, and instead of the two cylindrical dry cells II, we employ a thin pancake-type cell I'Ia, which is interposed bethe bottom of the case body Ia. A single electric light bulb I8a is mounted in .a socket 210. (which is grounded to the case 11;), and its, end contact engages a contact 28a, which may comprise 'an' answer? extensionof the :cell ll-l a. 'sA. tstem 32a, :slidably extende'dithrough the flange :l3a-nf the trayxl la, i'si-pressedsdownwardly against the contact 28a whenz-the 111d 3811.. is closed, so :as "to move the contatcttilzfla rout :of: engagement "withiithe bulb I811. Thelli'ght-itransmitting element l Taiis infthe form of. aclsplitfrin'g 'with the bulb 18a interposed between the :ends thereof, and having a 'frustoconical,;='etched upper light-emitting surface 20a andtrflecting'rlower and side surfaces backed up by rthe trough [5a :which may have a "reflecting surfacepatlleast in thevicinity of'zthe light bulb ma.-

has shown in Fig.7, theinventionmay be embodied iin a rectangular'vanity case including-a body ise'otion lb,:arlid8b, having a mirror Zlb, a ipow'dier Ztray 111b,- having a lipstick compartmntfidllganda battery and bulb compartment covered by a c'over l-llb hinged to the. hinge 9b whficn-tconnects the 1id 8l to the body section 11). The dight transrnittting means may be in the form-. nf tw'oi bars 11b of material of the type previously-specified, arranged along the respective Sides of the: case, each lighted by an individual electric :light' bulb l8b, having a lightemitting up-per surfaceinclined downwardly and tovizard.tithe center of the case, and having lightreflecting: lower and side surfaces.

We claim:

Liflnarvanitycase orl t-he like, a case including a bodysecitionanda flidlhinged thereto, a mirror mountediinssaidlid,iandfilluminating mechanism mounted in said body section, including a lighttransmitting element of a material having a high indexlofa refraction, lying just inside the peripheral wall of said body portion and extending around a substantial portion of said peripheral wall, said elementhaving' a light-emitting surface thatiis disposed generallyin a plane parallel to-lthebottom of saidbody .p'ortion,.-a light source ssociated swith .anend. of said. transmitting element, .and-nieanscovering saidendand said light sourcezandzpreventing the direct transmission of light from .saidsource to the face of a person using the vanity. case said element being adapted, when ,the vanity case .is. held before the face of aeusenntiththe bodyportion generally horizontal and theimirror extending upwardly and .centered somewhat below the level of horizontal vision at a sufficient distance from the eyes to permit reflection vision of the face therein, to project, mainly upon the lower portion of the face, a low intensity diffused illumination sufficient to render the reflected image of the face visible in the dark without casting a, glare into the eyes such as to interfere with vision of such reflected image.

2. In a vanity case or the like, in combination with a case including a body section and a lid hinged thereto, a mirror mounted in said lid, a light-transmitting element disposed within and adjacent to the peripheral wall of said body section, said light-transmitting element being generally U-shaped and a pair of light sources associated with the ends of the respective legs of said light-transmitting element said element being adapted, when the vanity case is held before the face of a user, with the body portion generally horizontal and the mirror extending upwardly and centered somewhat below the level of horizontal vision at a sufficient distance from the eyes to permit reflection vision of the face therein, to project, mainly upon the lower portion of the face, a low intensity diffused illumination suflicient to render the reflected image of the face visible in the dark without casting a glare into theeyessuchas to interferewith vision ofsuch reflected image.

3. Avanityicase or the like as claimed in claim 2, including dry cell means for energizing said light sources, .andaicover covering said dry cell means, said light sources and the ends of said legs.

4. In a vanity case or the like, inlcombination with a casetincluding. a body section and a lid hinged thereto, a mirror mounted .in said lid, means for illuminating the .face of a person viewing his reflection'in saidcmirror, said means comprising a light-transmitting element of a material having the characteristics of polymethyl methacrylatehaving a high index of refraction,

said element carried by said body section and being-generally of annular shape, having on. one side a highly polished surface for inhibiting the escape of light rays and on its other side a roughened light-emitting surface of generally frustoconical shape in combination with a light source armngedforthe transmission of light rays into one: endof "said ..light-transmitting element said element being adapted, when the vanity case is 1 held before the .face 'of'a user, with the body portion-generallyhorizontal and the mirror extendingiupwardlyand centered somewhat below the level of horizontal vision at a sufficient distance fromatheeyes 'to permit reflection vision of the face therein, to project, mainly upon the lower pertionpf the face, a low intensity diffused illumination sufficient to render the reflected image o f th'e' fac'e visiblexin'the dark without casting a glare. into the eyes such as to interfere with vision 1 ofiisu'c'h 'irefieetedFimage.

15.. na vanity case'or the like, in combination with 'a .ca'se including a body section and a lid hingedirthereto, saidwbody section having a bottom walliand a peripheral wall, a powder tray disposediin "sai'd hody section and spaced from said bottom and peripheral walls, a light-transmittingrelem'ent, generally annularin shape, interposed between the periphery of said powder tray and saidperipheral case wall, said lighttransniittingwelement being. of a material having a high index 'of'i refraction'and having its lower side'sprovided i-witha surface for inhibiting the escameof l'ightra'ys and'its upper side provided withiia light emitting surface, alight source arranged to transmit light rays into said lighttransmitting element and a dry cell for energizing said light source, said dry cell being of pancake form and disposed between the bottom of said powder tray and said body case Wall said element F being adapted, when the vanity case is held before the face of a user, with the body portion generally horizontal and the mirror extending upwardly and centered somewhat below the level of horizontal vision at a sufficient distance from the eyes to permit reflection vision of the face therein, to

project, mainly upon the lower portion of the face,

a low intensity diffused illumination sufiicient to render the'reflected image of the face visible in the dark without casting a glare into the eyes such as to interfere with vision of such reflected image.

6. In a vanity case or the like, a case including a body portion and a lid, a mirror mounted in said lid, a light transmitting element extending from a point near the rear end of the case to a point near the forward end of the case, and a source of illumination arranged. adjacent the rear end of said transmitting element so as to project its rays directly into said end, said transmitting element being of a transparent material having a I 7 high index of refraction and having polished under and side surfaces adapted to reflect oblique light rays inwardly to inhibit their escape and thereby cause said light rays to be piped longitudinally within said transmitting element toward its forward end, said transmitting element having an upper surface which is roughened so as to provide for emission of said light rays upwardly and forwardly, whereby, when the vanity case is held before the face of a user, with the body portiongenerally horizontal, the transmitting element facing upwardly and the mirror extending upwardly and centered somewhat below the level of horizontal vision at a suflicient distance from the eyes' to permit reflected vision of the face therein/said transmitting element will project, mainly upon the lower portion of the face, a low intensity diffused illumination suificient to render the reflected image of the face visible in the dark without casting a glare into the eyes such as to interfere with vision of such reflected image.

7. A vanity case as defined in claim 6, wherein there are two of said transmitting elements, one on either side of the case extending along the respective side margins thereof, and wherein the upper light emitting surfaces thereof are substantially flat and parallel to the general plane of the case.

8. A vanity case as defined in claim 7, wherein said light transmitting elements are straight and substantially parallel, and the case is of rectangular shape.

9. A vanity case as defined in claim 6, wherein said transmitting element is in the form of a split ring having two ends both in direct light receiving association with said illumination source, wherein said case has a rounded periphery and said transmitting element extends closely along said periphery, and wherein said light emitting surface is generally conical, inclined inwardly and downwardly.

10. A vanity case as defined in claim 6, wherein said case includes an opaque .part interposed directly between said illumination source and the area to be illuminated, whereby to prevent transmission of direct rays of light to said area.

11. In a vanity case or the like, a case including a, body portion and a lid, a mirror mounted in said lid, an elongated light transmitting element including an opaque part covering said illumina-' tion source so as to prevent rays therefrom being transmitted directly to the area to be illuminated, said transmitting element having an upper surface-which is roughened so as to provide for emis-' sion of said light rays upwardly and forwardly, whereby, when the vanity case is held before the face of a user, with the body portion generally horizontal, the transmitting element facing upwardly and the mirror extending upwardly and centered somewhat below the level of horizontal vision at a sufficient distance from the eyes to permit reflected vision of the face therein, said transmitting element will project, mainly upon the lower portion of the face, a low intensity diffused illumination sufiicient to render the reflected image of the face visible in the dark without casting a glare into the eyes such as to interfere with Vision of such reflected image.

PAUL EUGENE BISCH. JOHN P. DOBBINS. GEORGE G. EDLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

, UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,464,552 Warner Aug. 14, 1923 2,092,355" Mailloux Sept. 7, 1937 2,119,267 Coleman May 31, 1938 2,140,972 Rylsky Dec. 20, 1938 2,261,978 Dirksen Nov. 11, 1941 2,270,636 Klarfield Jan. 20, 1942 2,302,043 Matway Nov. 17, 1942 2,365,864 Chapman Dec. 26, 1944 2,402,014 Boeck June 11, 1946 

